Valve-cleaner



1. 5. DONNELLY.

v VALVE CLEANER, APPLICATION FILED MAR-27I H.120.

Patented May 17,1921.

Jifflnvnef? I I r W 4 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALVE-CLEANER Specification of Letters Patent.

Application .filed March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,359.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAoon E. DONNELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Side, Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and 'State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in valve cleaners, and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection with the piston valve employed in connection with a superheater locomotive, and. it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved cleaner of this general character which is carried directly by the piston valve and which coacts with the Walls of the valve chamber in such a manner as to prevent said inner wall from collecting carbon or other foreign matter which would otherwise havea tendency to hinder'or obstruct the requi-- movement of the cylinder site rectilinear piston. I

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character comprising two separable sections adapted to be clamped around the barrel of a piston valve adjacent a head thereof and wherein the peripheral portion of said member is provided with the out standing and circumferentially "disposed scraping members possessing a certain degree of resiliency and which are adapted to have substantially close and constant-contact with the inner wall of the valve chamber.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and an rangement of the several parts of my improved valve cleaner whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter'more fully set forth. I V

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,,wherein p Figure 1 is a, fragmentary view, partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation illustrating a piston valve and its coacting chamber and wherein the valve has applied thereto scraper attachments constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of one of my improved scraping devices as herein embodied;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation with the portion broken away of one of my improved scraping devices as herein set forth, one of the retaining plates being omitted, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in cross section illustrating certain details of my device as herein disclosed.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a piston valve chamber of a well known type and in which is mounted for rectilinear movement the piston valve P. The piston valve P is also of a conventional type and includes the barrel 1 provided at its opposite end portions withthe heads 2'. The bore of the chamber 0 is also provided with a counterbore 8 as is well known and leading from the chamber C are the ports 4 adapted for proper communication with the cylinder. 5 denotes a steam inlet adapted for communication .with a super-heater. The foregoing parts in themselves form no part of my present invention because they are well known and now generally in use and particularly in connection with the J uniata or Fort lVorth types of locomotives.

It often occurs, and particularly when a low 'grade of oil is employed for lubricating the piston P, the carbon forms on the inner Wall of the chamber C together with other foreign matter which has a tendency to hinder or interfere with the requisite operation of the piston. It is the purpose of mypresent invention to provide means,

carried directly by the piston P whereby such formation is prevented so that the in ner wall of the chamber C or the wall of the bore in which the piston P operates is at all times maintained clean, resulting in a maximum of efliciency of the piston P and prolonging the period of time for its use. 7

In practice, I find it of advantage to arrange one of my improved scraping or cleaning devices adjacent each end of the barrel 1 of the piston P, at a point inwardly Patented May 17, 1921.

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but in close proximity to a head 2 so that as the piston P reciprocates, it is assured that the inner face of the chan'iber C or the bore thereof in which the piston P operates will be maintained clean and also to prevent accumulation of carbon or other foreign matter upon the sloping side walls of the counterbore l. This latter provision is of particular advantage when it is desired to remove the piston P from. within the chamber C for the purpose of repair or the like. By maintaining these inclined side walls of the counterbore clean, no obstruction or hindrance is offered to the packing 5 carried by each of the heads 2 and which packing normally has a tendency to extend beyond the periphery of such head.

Each of my improved scraping or cleaning devices S comprises two sul. t-mtially semi-cylindrical members 6 provided at their ends with the outstanding webs or flanges sections 6 are positioned around the barrel of the piston P contact and, in the present embodiment of my invention, the removable bolts 8 are employed for maintaining said sections 6 in applied position upon the barrel 1. The bolts 8 serve to create the requisite clamping action of the sections 6 upon the barrel 1 to secure the device S in its entirety to move with the piston during its operation.

Each of tie sections 6 is provided intermediate its end flanges or webs"; with a plurality of circumterentially andequidistantly spaced webs 9 extending transversely thereof and integrally formed therewith. At this time it is also to be stated that the flanges or webs 7 are also integral with the sections 6. I

Concentric to each of the sections (3 and integrally formed with the outer ends of the webs 7 and 9 is a rim 10 also substantially semicircular in form so that when the device is assembled or in ap )lied posi tion, the adjacent ends of the rims 10 ot the sections 6 will be substantially in con; tact.

The outer or peripheral face of each of the rims 10 is provided with a circumferentially disposed groove or channel 11 extending entirely therealong and open. at its opposite ends. l v hen the device is applied the groove or channel 11 of the rim 10 of one of the sections 6 is in continuity with the groove or channel 11 of the rim 10 carried by the second section 6. The inner or side walls of the groove or channel 11 oi each of the rims 10 is enlarged transversely with the walls of" said enlarged portions substantially convex in cross section, as is particularly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. V

S eating within the groove or channel 11 of each of the rims 10 are the scraping ele- 1. Said end flanges or webs 7 when the ments E. Each of the elements E is preferably formed of an elongated rod, preferably brass, possessing a certain degree of inherent resiliency and which includes an elongated central bar 12 disposed on a curvature having a radius substantially the same as the radius or the interior wall of the chamber C. The opposite ends of each of? said central portions 12 terminate in inwardly disposed arms 14 converging one toward the other. The arms 14 are coiled at their free ends to form an eye 15 and the laterally disposed bill or extension 16. The bill or extension 16 at one end of the element E is disposed in one direction laterally of the element E while the opposite bill or extension 16 is disposed laterally in the opposite direction.

lVhen the scraping elements E are applied in working position, the arms 1 1 extend within the groove or channel 11 and the pins 17 are directed through the eyes 15 with the bills or extensions 16 in contact with the curved portions of the opposed walls of the groove or channel 11. The elements E are also so positioned within the groove or channel 11 that adjacent elements E are in overlapping relation so that a substantially continuous contact of intermediate parts 12 of the applied elements E is had with the inner wall or the chamber G at all points therearound and which contact is. facilitated in view of the fact that said intermediate or central portions 12 are positioned outwardly of the rim 10.

As herein disclosed, each of the pins 17 is loosely disposed through transversely alined openings 18 provided in the rim 10, with one oi said openings of reduced diameter and the coacting portion of the pin 17 similarly reduced as at 17 to fit therein. The reduced portion 17 provides a shoulder 19 which contacts with a. side wall of the groove or channel 11 so that the movement of the pin 17 in one direction is prevented. Movement of the pin 17 in the opposite direction or in a direction to be dis placed is prevented by a retaining plate 20 bolted or otherwise secured as at 21 to the rim 10. The plate 20 is common to all of the points 17 carried by arim 10 and for which reason said plate 20 is substantially semicircular in form and of the same radius as the rim 10.

In practice, the elements E have their intcrmediate or central portions 12, before the piston valve P has been inserted within the chamberC, on a radius slightly in excess of the radius of the bore or interior of the chamber C so that when the piston valve is applied, said elements E are placed under compression so that the requisite contact of said portions or parts 12 of the elements E with the interior Wall of the chamber C is assured,

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It is also to be noted that the portions of the pins 17 which extend through theeyes 15 are of a diameter less than the mean diameter of said eyes so that the elements E will have a limited lateral movement which is of advantage to facilitate the proper application of the piston valve P within the chamber C but the extensions 16, after the piston valve P has been inserted within the chamber C, operate to maintain each of the elements E substantially radial.

From the foregoing description, it is thought'to be obvious that a valve cleaner constructed in accordance with my invention is particularlyfwell adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the princi' ples and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 2- 1. In combination with a piston valve including a barrel provided with heads, a scraping means carried by the barrel inwardly of and in close proximity to each of the heads, said scraping means coacting with the wall of the chamber in'which the valve operates, each of said scraping means being entirely independent of the heads.

2. In combination with a valve casing for an engine cylinder having ports in the wall thereof for communication with said cylinder, said casing having a counterbore between the ports and a piston valve operating within the casing and having opposite end heads controlling said ports, said heads being connected by an interposed barrel; of a scraping means carried by the barrel inwardly of and in close proximity to each of the heads and entirely independent thereof, said scraping means coacting with the wall of the valve casing and the end portions of the counterbore of the casing.

3. In combination with a piston valve, a scraping means comprising a member secured to said valve and disposed therearound in a circun'iferential direction, the periphery of said member being provider with a groove, and a scraping element comprising a resilient strand disposed circumferentially on substantially the same radius as the radius of the chamber in which the valve operates, the extremities of the strand terminating in inwardly disposed arms extending within the groove of the member, and means for holding the element against displacement.

I. In combination with a piston valve, a scraping means comprising a member secured to said valve and disposed therearound in a circumferential direction, the periphery of said member being provided with a groove, and a scraping element comprising a resilient strand disposed circumferentially on substantially the same radius as the radius of the chamber in which the valve operates, the extremities of the strand terminating in inwardly disposed arms extending within the groove of the member, and means for holding the element against displacement, said element being capable of rocking movement in a direction longitudinally of the valve.

5. In combination with a piston valve, a scraping means comprising a member secured to said valve and disposed therearound in a circumferential direction, the periphery of said member being provided with a groove, and a scraping element comprising a resilient strand disposed circumferentially on substantially the same radius as the radius of the chamber in which the valve operates, the extremities of the strand terminating in inwardly disposed arms extending within the groove of the member, and means for holding the element against displacement, said element being capable of rocking movement in the direction longitudinally of the valve, said'element being provided with means coasting with the member for maintaining the element normally in substantially perpendicular relation to the valve.

6. In combination with a piston valve, a cleaning means carried directly thereby and including a member secured to the valve and arms extending within the groove, the free end portions of the arms being returned to provide eyes and extended laterally for contact with the side walls of the grooves, and retaining members disposed through the rim and through the eyes of the element.

8. In combination with a piston valve, a rim carried thereby and disposed circumferentially therearound, the periphery of said rim being provided with a groove, and

a scraping element comprising an arcuate strand of material having its opposite end portions continued by inwardly directed arms extending within the groove, the free end portions of the arms being returned to provide eyes and extendedlaterally for contact with the side walls of the grooves, and retaining members disposed through the rim and through the eyes of the element, the eyes of the element being of a greater diameter than the retaining members disposed-therethrough whereby said element is capable of lateral swinging movement, the extended extremities of the arms of the element operating to maintain the element normally against movement and in substantially a fixed position.

9. In combination with a piston valve, a rim carried thereby and disposed circum- :t'erentially therearound, the periphery of said rim being provided with a groove, and a scraping element comprising an arcuate strand of material having its opposite end portions continued by inwardly directed arms extending within the groove, the free end portions of the arms being returned to provide eyes and extended laterally for contact with the side walls of the grooves, and retaining members disposed through the rim and through the eyes of the element, the eyes of the element being of a greater diameter than the retaining members disposed therethrough whereby said element is capable of lateral swinging movement, the extended extremities of the arms of the element operating to maintain the element normally against movement and in substantially a fixed position, the outer marginal portions of the side walls of the groove being convex in cross section to facilitate the swinging movement of the element.

' In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JACOB E. DONNELLY. 

